It should come as no surprise that small island developing states (SIDS) are taking the helm and navigating the waters of climate change. Without a binding global agreement that takes their needs into proper consideration, many of them are choosing to act in their own interests rather than go down with the climate ship – not because it’s altruistic, but because it is necessary to help pay the cost of adaptation to climate change, which is a problem to which they contributed little in the first place.

Fortunately, support mechanisms are being established to boost these efforts. Aamong them are the Low-Carbon Energy Roadmaps that Worldwatch is currently undertaking for countries like the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Haiti.

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not. - Dr. Seuss

Of course, island countries must be proactive. As Jon Barnett and John Campbell note in their book, Climate Change and Small Island States, the discussion around climate change and its repercussions has framed island states as “vulnerable,” suggesting that they cannot fend for themselves and are reliant on larger powers to act to help them. But without a binding agreement on greenhouse gas emissions, particularly one that provides resources to pay for adaptation measures, it is ridiculous to think that the larger powers are going to step in and do much of anything. (The book’s authors also point out that the larger actors should start by changing their consumption patterns and lowering emissions.)

With the hazardous effects of climate change looming, SIDS have no choice but to act. Again, this is more about necessity than it is about being eco-friendly (although it is a nice example to set). These government s cannot afford to be reliant on fossil fuels and will soon have to add “adaptation” to their expenditures. Here’s a small list of what some islands are doing to lower their oil imports bill:

Fiji: With more of the world’s consumers becoming carbon-conscious, this Pacific island knows it is in its interests to become a low-carbon economy. In particular, Fiji is taking steps to make its lucrative tourism industry more efficient. Its partnership with Greenlight Technology Group will help create a more sustainable tourism sector, enabling the country to bring in more revenue without importing more fossil fuel to serve its energy needs. The current pilot program is scheduled to be rolled out in the islands of Tonga and Samoa as well.

Jamaica: Despite wind and hydropower contributing to the island’s energy supply, Jamaica still relies on imported oil for more than 90 percent of its energy. That is why the country has formulated an aggressive plan to reduce this share to 30 percent in 20 years. While wind and solar will play a role in this transition, so will biofuels and liquefied natural gas (LNG). This plan comes in response to a national energy policy and a national development plan that have 2030 as their long-term horizon.

Puerto Rico: Yes, it’s technically part of the United States but Puerto Rico takes its Caribbean membership seriously. In fact, the territory’s Secretary of State, Ken McClintock, referred to Puerto Rico as the point where the U.S. becomes a Caribbean nation. Because of that relationship, McClintock recently spoke at theNorthern Caribbean Conference on Economic Cooperation. In his remarks he called for an increase in renewable energy to break a dependence on imported oil and for a larger Caribbean renewable market that is interconnected to achieve economies of scale and create more interdependence among regional members.

These are just some of the world’s smaller actors on the climate and energy stage, yet they are taking big steps that others can follow. And heavy hitters are taking note. During the recent meetings in Cancún, an MOU was signed between the World Bank, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Danish government. The intention is to support the kinds of efforts that increase infrastructure efficiency and help in the transition to a more renewable and low-carbon energy portfolio. This MOU builds on other support facilities like the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and the Climate Investment Funds (CIF).

These resources, built to help SIDS blaze a trail from oil dependence to low-carbon sustainability, dovetail nicely with Worldwatch’s Low-Carbon Energy Roadmap work which ReVolt has documented on morethanone occasion. Worldwatch believes that a detailed energy roadmap will help countries move toward a low-carbon future that is more sustainable, economically beneficial, and more energy-secure. It is a versatile, one-tool-serves-all approach that ensures that the road to becoming a low-carbon economy is one that is paved by measurable outcomes at every level.